Guardian Angel
by KColl2003
Summary: When Angel discovers a Scooby's dark secret, he resolves to help. WARNING Parental abuse.


Title: Guardian Angel Rating: PG -13 (Parental Abuse) Relationships: X\A (Friendship) Story: Angst Feedback: In lieu of a Faithbot yeah. E-Mail: KeithWrestle@Yahoo.Co.uk Disclaimer: I don't own the characters just worship at their altar.  
  
Angel lurked in the shadows watching as Xander slouched up the drive that led to the boy's house, wondering at the fear he saw in the boy's eyes. What could frighten a youth who had staunchly fought vampires and all manner of demons at his and Buffy's side for nearly three years? He watched as the young man unlocked the front door and went in. Satisfied the boy was all right, the vampire turned to leave.  
  
* * *  
  
Xander crept towards the basement door, confident that his parents would be too drunk to hear his entrance. To his dismay however, the landing lights flickered on and within a few seconds his father was stomping down the stairs, a truculent expression on his bloated face.  
  
Xander's gaze dropped to the worn carpet. His father didn't like him looking eye to eye - said it was disrespectful. "Hi dad," he said meekly. Maybe tonight would be different.  
  
"Where you been boy, out with those trollops?"  
  
"No dad," Xander replied desperately. "I've been studying at the library."  
  
"Studying until this time!" Harris Snr.'s raised voice held a note of derision. "And you still get Ds! What are you retarded?" His eyes narrowed suspiciously. "I don't believe you, you've been out with a girl - that one who dressed like a hooker - Cordelia!"  
  
Even as tears of hurt welled up in his eyes at his father's onslaught, Xander felt a tide of rage rise up, threatening to overwhelm him. "Cordy's not a hooker!" he yelled.  
  
"Don't raise your voice at me boy!" His father's fist, powered by a body thickened through years of working construction, crashed into Xander's mouth, loosening teeth and slicing open his bottom lip.  
  
The youth staggered backwards, his head throbbing with pain as his father threw punches and insults in equal measure. Xander didn't fight back, refusing to use the reflexes and skills he'd learnt against his own flesh and blood. Finally, his father grabbed a handful of Xander's hair, girly- long he'd always called it, and smashed his head into a wall. His head ringing, Xander slid down to the floor. A triumphant sneer on his face, Harris Snr. raised his foot.  
  
Suddenly the front door crashed open. In the doorway stood Angel, a look of molten fury on his face. "Xander, invite me!" he bellowed, the loudness of his voice seeming to shake the house's foundations.  
  
"Come in," Xander muttered before sliding into unconsciousness.  
  
* * *  
  
Harris Snr. glared belligerently at the intruder stood in his hallway. "Who the hell are you?" he taunted. "My boy swing both ways, that it? You his queer boyfriend?"  
  
Harris Snr. swung a right. Angel caught the punch in his own hand, then with his free hand grabbed Xander's father around the throat, lifted him off the floor and slammed him into the nearest wall.  
  
Angel slowly tightened his grip on the man's throat, both the demon and the man inside him enjoying the bully's desperate struggle for air. Suddenly Angel heard the sound of sobbing. He turned his head to see a woman who could only be Xander's mother stood on the stairs. "Please let him go," she wailed.  
  
After letting out an inhuman growl, Angel threw Harris Snr. to the floor at his wife's feet. The Vampire strode over to the shaking woman. "Tell him when he wakes up that if he touches Xander again I'll rip his throat out." Without waiting for a reply, the vampire turned, scooped up the still senseless Xander and left the house.  
  
* * *  
  
As he gazed down at Xander's beaten and bloodied face, the vampire thanked god that he's gone to investigate when he'd heard the sounds of an argument. What he had seen through the lounge window had sickened him. A sad smile twisted the vampire's handsome features - who would have imagined that he and Xander would have such similar childhoods.  
  
"Dead Boy-."  
  
Angel realised that the boy had awoken. "Xander, how you feeling?" he asked softly.  
  
"Been better," the boy smiled weakly before wincing at the pain. "Thanks for helping."  
  
"That's ok," the vampire hesitated before continuing. "How long's this been going on and why?"  
  
Xander's sad smile nearly broke the vampire's unbeating heart. "Since I can remember really. Never could do good enough for dad - crap at sports, lousy at class." Even the effort of talking was too much and the boy drifted back in unconsciousness.  
  
"Oh Xander." Angel fought down the black rage that threatened to overwhelm him and send him charging back to the Harris residence to finish off Xander's father once and for all. Not good enough? He and Xander had had their moments but the youth was loyal, honest and brave - his refusal to back down to Angelus last year was proof enough of that. He was a boy that any sane man would be proud to call son.  
  
The vampire paused to consider his options. He couldn't take the boy back to his mansion - he didn't have the medical facilities and the boy needed lighter company than his brooding presence. Giles was out, he was still reluctant to go there after Jenny, and besides the boy's wounded psyche needed a woman's touch. Cordelia. Despite the seriousness of the situation Angel had to fight back a smile. One look at her battered boyfriend would send Queen C right over to give Xander's father a beating far worse than anything he'd just done. He could almost feel sorry for the man - almost. Unfortunately he knew from what Buffy had told him that the Chases didn't approve of their daughter's boyfriend and taking Xander there in such a state would only cause a hardening in their position.  
  
Willow? Angel shook his head, sweet Willow was too gentle to confront with what happened to Xander. That only left...Buffy.  
  
Buffy. Angel's leapt at the thought of seeing her, even as it quailed at the thought of their inevitable parting. Joyce would be there too, and whatever her thoughts about him she was like a parent to all of Buffy's other friends. It was the right choice.  
  
* * *  
  
"Angel? What are you doing he-. Xander? Bring him in!"  
  
Angel obediently made his way past a shocked Joyce and into the hallway where he was met by the sight of a pyjama clad Buffy stood on the stairs. Buffy's eyes lit up at the sight of her boyfriend only for them to darken at sight of the bloodied body Angel carried. "Xander what happened?"  
  
The suspicion in her voice lashed at the vampire like a whip but Angel refused to let it show. Did she really think he was capable of such a heinous act? "His father," the Vampire gruffly explained before gently setting the boy down on the sofa. "I heard the sound of an argument coming from his house. When I went to look I saw his father beating him."  
  
"Oh Xand," Buffy hurried past Angel, giving him a grateful glance on her way, knelt by the sofa and cradled the boy's head in her arms. Tears rolling down her face, she demanded of her friend. "Why didn't you tell us?"  
  
"Tisn't an easy thing to admit," Angel muttered before turning at a touch on his arm.  
  
"Angel, please can I speak to you in the kitchen," whispered Joyce.  
  
Angel nodded. * * *  
  
"Do you want a tea or a coffee Angel?"  
  
The vampire shook his head. "No thank you Joyce." On occasion he drank human beverages not through any need or desire but simply to be sociable. Tonight however he had no wish to fit in with the human race.  
  
Buffy's mother fixed Angel with a level stare. "So what happened? And how did you just happen to be there?"  
  
"After a night's patrol, I always walk Buffy home," explained Angel. "If one of the other girls, Willow or Cordelia, patrol with her I either walk them home or to Cordy's car. If she patrols with Giles and Xander - well neither of them likes me much, I follow them in the shadows. I was just leaving Xander when I picked the sound of a fight. I sneaked back to find out what was happening and saw his father hitting him."  
  
"Why?"  
  
Angel shrugged. That was Xander's business.  
  
"Damn that man," Joyce wiped furtively at her eyes before smiling at the vampire. "Well you did the right thing bringing him here Angel. Buffy and I will look after Xander. Tomorrow, Buffy and I will pick up his things from his house."  
  
"Take Giles with you," Angel softly counselled.  
  
"Hm, just let that man try anything."  
  
Angel smiled slightly at the determined look on Joyce's face. It was clear where Buffy got her spirit from. "I'll be going then."  
  
The vampire stalked to the front door, detouring only to glance through the lounge and whisper a quick good-bye to Buffy as she busily nursed a now conscious but still badly dazed Xander. At his appearance, Xander muttered a thanks though swollen lips and tried to stand only for Buffy to gently restrain him. Once out of .the front door, the vampire cast a sad look at the Summers house and walked away.  
  
Maybe tonight would have a happy ending. The vampire planned to leave after the Mayor's ascension. Being around Buffy and not being able to be with her was just too painful. He knew his leaving would devastate her but maybe Xander would be able to soften the blow, comfort her. Maybe the two of them would grow closer. Maybe.  
The End 


End file.
